Hello, darling dancers! Welcome back to www.pink-tutu.com! Emma here, back from another thrilling trip through time on the back of my magnificent Meg! Oh, wouldn't you know, she's been a little bit "spirited" this month, galloping off with a burst of glitter into the middle of… well, that’s another story for another time!
Today, my dear ballet enthusiasts, we are stepping into 11th November 1844!
Just imagine… it's a crisp autumn morning, the leaves are a gorgeous fiery orange and russet, and I’m prancing around in my dreamy pink tutu, getting ready to embark on a day filled with ballet history and dazzling discoveries!
Where in the world are we off to this time? Why, the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux in beautiful France, of course! Today marks a momentous occasion in ballet history… a ballet by Adolphe Adam titled "Le Corsaire"! Imagine, pirouettes and graceful leaps all within the walls of that breathtaking French theatre! Now, I haven't quite figured out how they do it with those crinolines and layers of silk under their tutus, but it sounds utterly magical!
Le Corsaire, my dears, is a true ballet masterpiece, full of adventure and romance! Imagine, swirling skirts, heroic feats of strength and a daring journey to capture the heart of a beautiful, mysterious woman… what more could a ballet lover wish for? This story, set on a beautiful Turkish island, was so successful in France that the opera, composed by Adolphe Adam himself, became even more well-known! Can you believe it? Now THAT is what we call ballet impact!
I must tell you, I got completely swept away by the grand opening night performance! The music, the sets, the costumes – everything was simply stunning! I just had to add a snippet of a beautiful velvet bodice from the Corsaire, all hand-stitched and a little bit tattered from the dancers’ vigorous movements, to my balletomane rucksack - oh, it is just bursting with fascinating bits and bobs from the past!
Now, darling readers, as I said, I was quite busy in my research, exploring every nook and cranny of the city in my dazzling pink tutu! Even if I must admit, a few of the locals gave me strange looks… I do try to be as discreet as I can with my sparkle and my love for the color pink… I mean, it’s hardly their fault if my tutus shine like stars and draw every eye in the street! It wouldn’t do for me to ruin the timeline now, would it?
On my walk back to Meg after my ballet shopping spree ( I can't resist those gorgeous, antique tutus you know! A touch of vintage really brings out a classic feel! And you just have to love that 18th century lace - just beautiful! ), I just couldn’t help noticing an adorable café… just imagine the gossip the locals were spilling! Now you'd think a lovely cafe would be about gossip, and a ballet would be about dance - not so in 1844. You’d be surprised, it's not so different from our world in many ways, but, let's get back to the cafe, I do hope they didn't judge my "ballet look"... well, Meg's not as discreet as me.
In between bites of the most scrumptious brioche and my famous pink hot chocolate (it does wonders on those cold November nights, you know) - I must try and recreate it in my own little kitchen soon! - the locals were buzzing about "The King"! Now I thought that was strange! Who would dare talk about a "king" in The Republic! Now this, I felt, was news I had to add to my collection.
As it turned out, darling friends, the "King" in question was no king of the French throne… oh no, He was THE KING of Ballet - * the celebrated, the divine, the unparalleled *Auguste Vestris! Imagine! His incredible virtuosity, his amazing speed and elegance, all the way back then! I had to add his poster to my "balletomane rucksack!"
Speaking of ballet fashion, my dears, imagine if we had such an incredible ballet fashion icon, to follow. We should all aspire to have ballet-worthy elegance that Auguste Vestris possessed! You know my philosophy - ballet fashion should make every single ballerina shine with a thousand twinkling stars, but let's face it, most of those tutus were a little on the darker side - a deep royal blue, perhaps. A little plain for my liking!
Pink, Pink, Pink… everywhere! Don’t you know there's just something about the vibrant color of love, femininity, and passion that brings life and vitality to anything… especially a ballet!
The night flew by, my darlings! Just another whirlwind day in my tutu time travel diary! You never know what you’re going to stumble upon next, especially when there's a pink tutu involved. I can’t wait to show you what the next month brings – there's another exciting journey in the making!
And just like always, you know how much I LOVE to hear from all of you, lovely ladies! If you’ve got any questions, memories, or Pink Tutu musings, you know just where to leave a comment below. Stay sparkling, my dears!
Love,
Emma
( www.pink-tutu.com )
